University Presentation Showcase: Undergraduate Division
How Therapists' Motivational Approaches are Linked to Therapeutic Alliance
Presenter Hometown
Lexington
Major
Psychology
Department
Psychology
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Jonathan S. Gore
Mentor Department
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Bryant, Ella J. and Gore, Jonathan Dr., "How Therapists' Motivational Approaches are Linked to Therapeutic Alliance" (2026). University Presentation Showcase Event. 3.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2026/undergraduate/3
Abstract
This study explored the relationship between therapists’ motivational approaches to therapy and the therapeutic alliance. It was hypothesized that therapists’ relationally autonomous reasons for engaging in therapy would be positively associated with therapeutic alliance quality, but not with other motivation types. Additionally, relationally autonomous and personally autonomous reasons were expected to be positively associated with goal outcomes, whereas controlled reasons were expected to be negatively associated with goal outcomes. Therapeutic alliance was also hypothesized to be positively associated with goal outcomes. Participants included 46 therapists and graduate students who completed online surveys assessing their motivations and efforts towards reaching therapeutic goals with their clients, as well as the strength of the therapeutic alliance with their clients. Results indicated that relationally autonomous reasons and therapist effort were both positively associated with therapeutic alliance strength. The results also showed that all the motivation types measured (i.e., relationally autonomous reasons, personally autonomous reasons, and controlled reasons) predicted higher scores of future efforts towards therapeutic goals, but not current effort or progress towards them. These findings help identify ways to make therapy more effective by motivating therapists and increasing therapeutic alliance levels.
Presentation format
Poster
How Therapists' Motivational Approaches are Linked to Therapeutic Alliance
This study explored the relationship between therapists’ motivational approaches to therapy and the therapeutic alliance. It was hypothesized that therapists’ relationally autonomous reasons for engaging in therapy would be positively associated with therapeutic alliance quality, but not with other motivation types. Additionally, relationally autonomous and personally autonomous reasons were expected to be positively associated with goal outcomes, whereas controlled reasons were expected to be negatively associated with goal outcomes. Therapeutic alliance was also hypothesized to be positively associated with goal outcomes. Participants included 46 therapists and graduate students who completed online surveys assessing their motivations and efforts towards reaching therapeutic goals with their clients, as well as the strength of the therapeutic alliance with their clients. Results indicated that relationally autonomous reasons and therapist effort were both positively associated with therapeutic alliance strength. The results also showed that all the motivation types measured (i.e., relationally autonomous reasons, personally autonomous reasons, and controlled reasons) predicted higher scores of future efforts towards therapeutic goals, but not current effort or progress towards them. These findings help identify ways to make therapy more effective by motivating therapists and increasing therapeutic alliance levels.
